What I Wish I Knew Before Joining My First Network Marketing Business

When I first joined a network marketing business, I was full of hope. Hope that I’d found something that could fit around my life, that I could finally feel "successful" and that maybe, just maybe, this was it.

What I didn’t realise then - but I know now - is that so many of us say yes to network marketing opportunities with the best intentions… but without the full picture.

Looking back, there are a few things I wish I’d known. They might have saved me from burnout, from self-doubt, and from thinking I was the problem.

So I’m sharing them here, in case you’re quietly considering something new after things might not have worked out so well before - and want to do it differently this time.

1. You don’t need to sell to friends and family to be successful.

The old advice? “Make a list of everyone you know.”

The new reality? People are building real income online without ever cold-messaging their mates or ambushing someone on the school run. It turns out, you don’t have to feel awkward to make it work. You just need a system that doesn’t depend on your inner circle.

2. You can build in your own time, your own way.

I used to believe that if I wasn’t “going all in,” I was failing. That if I didn’t hit the monthly bonuses or attend every call, I didn’t deserve success.

But life isn’t always linear. We have kids, we have energy dips, we have actual lives.

You don’t need to keep up with someone else’s pace to make it work. There are business models that allow space and no pressure. Ones that don’t penalise you for being human.

3. Products matter - so does price.

There’s nothing worse than being passionate about a product but priced out of sharing it.

I’ve been in businesses where I loved the product… but couldn’t justify asking anyone to pay those prices.

What I’ve learned? People want affordable, effective, real solutions. Products they can use daily without financial stress. And they’ll come back again and again if the products actually work.

4. The right system doesn’t make you feel icky.

I’ve done the awkward posts, the “just add your name below” giveaways. The fake urgency, the borrowed lifestyle.

I hated it.

Now, I use Pinterest, my website, and gentle visibility to share what I genuinely use and love. It feels cleaner, calmer and me.

And I’ve found a company that lets me build gently, honestly, and in a way that doesn’t keep me up at night wondering who I’ve annoyed.

5. You are not a failure just because it didn’t work before.

This one’s big. You are not the problem. You're not too sensitive, too quiet, too slow, too poor at sales, too anything.

You were likely trying to make something work that wasn’t built for you.

I wish someone had told me that sooner! So I’m telling you now.

If you're still holding a quiet desire to try again - this time with boundaries, integrity, and breath - you’re not alone.

I’ve found something that feels different. And I’m sharing it not because I think you should… but because I know what it’s like to feel stuck, unsure, and still holding on to that tiny flicker of possibility.

If you want to explore the model I’ve found, quietly and in your own time, the door’s open.

You can email me here and take a look.

Alice xx